Folding pedal.



No. 766,602. PATENTE-D AUG. 2, 1904.

. T. DANQUARD & D. I. TWITCHELL.

FOLDING PEDAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. 1904A l Fmi. E'IGQ.

Fl g3. E1IG4.

UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1 904.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQUARD AND DONN TRYING TWITOHELL, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNORS TO KOHLER & CAMPBELL,

OF NFV YORK, N. Y., A FIRM.

FOLDING PEDAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part et' Letters Patent No. 766,6027 dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed February 27, 1904. Serial No. 195,608. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS DANQUARD and DoNN IRVING TwrrcHELL, citizens of the United States of America, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, State of New York, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Pedals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pedals adapted more especially for operating the wind-inducing bellows of self-playing pianos, or of piano-playeis, or of reed or pipe organs, but useful in other pedal-operated structures.

The invention has for its object to provide simple, inexpensive, and efcient pedals of this character adapted to fold readily into small space when not in use.

Broadly considered, the invention consists of folding pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slideways on which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded.

The invention also includes certain details of construction whereby the pedals are given maximum lightness and very quick and easy positive folding and unfolding movements, and whereby also the folded pedals are locked and held to avoid rattling' of the parts, and whereby the pedal mechanism is made specially desirable when adapted to fold invisibly within the case of a self-playing' piano, or piano-player, or organ, or other structure.

The invention will first be described and then Will be particularly defined in claims hereinafter set forth.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 'is a central vertical sectional view of the lower portion of a self-playing piano having the improved pedals which in full lines are shown unfolded outside the piano-case in position for use, the dotted lines indicating the pedals depressed to open the bellows.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View showing the pedals folded within the pianocase. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the outfolded pedals and adjacent portions 0f the piano-case, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the outfolded pedals and portions of the bellows and adjacent parts, Figs. 3 and 4 being drawn to the same scale as Fig. 1.

As herein shown, the stationary wall 1 of the main bellows to be operated is fixed to a wind-chest 2, which communicates by a trunk V3 with pneumatic devices (not shown) in the upper portion of a piano-case 4L and adapted to operate the piano-action for playing the instrument mechanically. Two main bellows are shown 4in the drawings; but one only or more than two may be used, if desired. To the free end of the hinged movable wall 5 of each bellows is pivoted at 6 one end of a link 7, the other end of which is pivoted at 8 to the forward or toe end of the pedal 9. Both pedals shown are hinged at 10 at their heel ends to a cross-bar 11, which, with the fixed side rods 12 l2, constitutes the pedal-frame. This frame may have any suitable guides adapted to engage slideways held to the piano-v case 4. It is preferable to make the frame-A guides as inbent or offset end studs 13 of or on the frame-rods 12. These studs loosely fit within slots 14 of preferred slideways 15, held to or within the piano-case in any preferred manner. They are shown fastened at the top .to the wind-chest 2 and at the bottom to the front base-rail of the case. The slot 14 of each slideway 15 is preferably offset outward horizontally at 17 at the bottom to receive the stud 13 of the corresponding frame-rod 12 when the pedals are unfolded, and thus check tendency of the studs to rise in the slidewayslots 14 and also safely resist outward movement of the pedal-frame when the pedals are operated.

When the pedals are folded within the pianocase 4f, their frame-bar 11 engages automatically with or behind the head of a springcatch 18, which may be fixed to a block 19 in the case, and the toe ends of the folded pedals 9 then also preferably enter behind the pendent outer ends of detents 20, fixed to any suitable support, suoli as the wind-'chest 2. To unfold the pedals for use, it only is necessary to grasp the frame-barr11 with one hand and pull it from the spring-catch 18 and then draw the bar and the connected pedals outward and downward as the frame guide-studs 13 move downward in the slideway-slots 14 until they enter the slot-offsets 17 about as the frame buffers or feet 21 on the bar 11 come to rest on the iioor. This outfolded operative adjustment of the pedals is shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4 of the drawings. In this position the pedals 9 are held very securely for operating the bellows noiselessly by the directly-connected links 7. The full downward stroke of the pedals to iniate the bellows is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig-1 of the drawings, the pedals being raised by usual action of the bellows-springs.

To fold the pedals into the piano-case 4, it only is necessary to grasp the pedal-frame bar 11 by one hand and carry the bar inward and upward as the frame guide-studs 13 first leave the offset ends 17 of the slideway-slots 14 and then move upward in said slots until the frame-bar 11 automatically locks behind the head of the spring-catch 18 and the pedals 9 enter behind the detents 20, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The catch 18, aided by the detents 20 when the latter are used, hold the infolded pedals securely to avoid rattling of them by heavy manual playing of the piano or during transportation.

It is obvious that these improved pedals may be very quickly and easily unfolded for use and may be as quickly fold ed again within the piano-case by practically one movement of the pedal-frame made by one hand of the operator, whose other hand is free to open a hinged or other panel of the piano-case front to permit these outfolding and infolding adjustments.

A preferred form of front case-panel is shown in the drawings and is made in two parts-a wider upper part 22, hinged at 23 at its upper edge to the front of the case 4, and a narrower lower part 24, hinged at 25 to the part 22, so as to fold inward thereon. The panel portion 24 may have a linger-knob 26. When the pedals are adjusted within the piano or other case 4, the two-part panel 22 24 will be closed in front of the infolded pedals to conceal them, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Vhen the pedals are to be outfolded to operative position, Vthe panel 22 24 will be swung upward on the hinges 23, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of Vthe drawings. Then the pedals thus are adjusted, the lower panel portion 24 is swung upward on its hinges 25 iiat against the back of the upper panel portion 22, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, thus leaving an opening below the closed panel portion 22, through which the links 7 may work as the pedals 9 are operated. The panel 22 24 will again be swung upward on the hinges 23 to allow infolding of the pedals, and both panel portions 22 24v then will be folded down to fully close the case-opening and conceal the pedals. These folding pedals do not interfere with the usual soft and loud tone modulating pedals 27 arranged at the lower front portion of a piano-case.

Various modifications of this invention may be made by the skilled mechanic within the scope of the appended claimsas,for instance, it is not essential that the pedal guide-rods 12 be fixed rigidly to the frame-bar 11, provided said rods have sliding engagement with relatively fixed supports of any suitable construction adapted to guide, the pedal-frame and pedals as they are folded and unfolded, nor is it necessary that the pedals fold within the case of a pneumatically-operated musical instrument or other structure, as the pedals may fold up outside the case when not in use; but folding them within the case is preferred in practice, as it wholly conceals the pedalsand their supporting-frame, which is very desirable in a self-playing piano or in a reed-organ or other musical instrument and may be desirable for protection merely or for economizing space during transportation in other pedal-operated structures.

It will be understood that the term frame herein applied to the connected parts 11 12, to which the pedals 9 are hinged, is to be construed as meaning any suitable pedal-support having guides engaging slideways during folding and unfolding of the pedal structure. i

We claim asour invention- 1. Folding pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slideways on which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded.

2. Folding pedals comprising a movable frame having fixed guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly .and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slideways on which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded. 1

3. Folding pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slideways with which the frame guides are in constant engagement and on which they move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded.

4. Folding pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and piv- IOO otally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slideways having offset lower portions or shoulders resisting the thrust of the operating-pedals and on which slidewaysv the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded.

5. Folding' pedals for incased musical instruments or other structures, comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slidewayswithin the instrument or structure case on which the frameguides move as the frame and hinged pedals .are folded within the case or are unfolded into operative position outside the case.

6. Folding pedals for incased musical instruments or other structures, comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of avbellows or other device to be operated, and slideways within the instrument or structure case and with which the frame-guides are in constant engagement and on which they move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded within the case or are unfolded into operative position outside the case.

7. The combination with folding pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directlyT and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slideways on which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded, of a yielding self-engaging catch holding the frame and pedals in folded adjustment.

8. rlhe combination with folding pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly7 and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable .part ofa bellows or other device to be operated, and slideways on which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded, of a detent behind which pass the toe ends of the folded pedals.

9. Folding' pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slotted slideways in the slots of which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded.

10. Folding pedals comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slotted slideways in the slots of which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded and unfolded; said slots having offset lower portions resisting the thrust of the operating-pedals.

11. Folding pedals comprising a movable vframe having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and `pivotally connecting each pedal with a mov- .12. Folding pedals for incased musical instruments or other structures, comprising a movable frame having guides, one or more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slotted slideways within the instrument or structure case and in the slots of which the frame-guides move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded within the case or are unfolded into operative position outside the case.

13. Folding pedals for incased musical instruments or other structures, comprising a movable frame having guides, one o1' more pedals hinged to said frame, a link directly and pivotally connecting each pedal with a movable part of a bellows or other device to be operated, and slotted slideways within the instrument or structure case and with the slots of which the frame-g'uides are in constant engagement and in which they move as the frame and hinged pedals are folded within the case or are unfolded into operative position outside the case.

14. Folding' pedals comprising a bar 11 and connected rods 12, forming the pedal-frame, one or more pedals 9 hinged to the bar 11, links 7 coupling the pedals and bellows or other part to be operated, and fixed slideways 15 having slots 14 receiving studs 13 on the frame-rods 12 and guiding' the frame and pedals during their folding and unfolding movements.

15. Folding pedals comprising' a bar 11 and connected rods 12, forming the pedal-frame,

one or more pedals 9 hinged to the bar 11, links 7 coupling the pedals and bellows or other part to be operated, and fixed slideways 15 having slots 14 formed with offset lower portions 17 and receiving studs 13 on the frame-rods 12 and guiding the frame and pedals during their folding and unfolding movements; said slot offsets 17 resisting the thrust of the operating-pedals.

16. Folding' pedals comprisingabar 11 and connected rods 12. forming the pedal-frame, one or more pedals 9 hinged t0 the bar 11, links 7 coupling the pedals and bellows or other part to be operated, fixed slideways 15 having slots 14 receiving studs 13 on the frame-rods 12 and guiding' the frame and IOO pedals during their folding and unfolding movements, and a yielding self-acting catch 18 retaining the pedal-frame and pedals in folded adjustment.

17. Folding pedals comprising a bar 11 and connected rods 12 forming the pedal-frame,

one or more pedals 9 hinged to the bar 11,

links 7 coupling the pedals and bellows or other part to be operated, Xed slideways 15 having slots 14 receiving studs 13 on the frame-rods 12, and guiding the frame and 

